Page 113 of Immersed
Levi examined the holder more closely, noticing a small heating element beneath the vial. A button on the sidewasmarkedwith a flame symbol.
“I think we need to heat it,”he explained.“Thaw it before removal.”
“Careful,”Zoe warned.“Rapid temperature changes could damage the sample. Or trigger another security measure.”
Levi pressed the button, and the heating element began to glow red. The frozen blood in the vial liquefied, changing from a dark, crystalline mass to a viscous fluid.
When the process completed, a soft chime sounded, and the holder released its grip on the vial. Levi extracted it, surprised by its warmth against his fingers.
“We did it,”Maddie said, her voice tinged with disbelief.“We actually found Faine’s blood.”
“One down, two to go,”Levi reminded them, placing the vial in his jacket pocket.“We still need the voice recording and the tissue sample.”
A loud bang from the corridor interrupted their moment of triumph—something heavy colliding with metal, followed by the screech of metal against the floor.
“What the hellwasthat?”Tyler hissed, moving away from the door.
“The alarm,” Levi realized with dawning horror. “It wasn’t just an alert system. It was a summons.”
“For what?” Elliot demanded.
It wasn’t just a metaphor for the keys…
“Guardians,” he said softly. “The real ones.”
Another impact shook the door, harder this time. Metal groaned under the assault, hinges straining against their moorings.
“Is there another way out?”Zoe asked, backing further away from the door.
Levi consulted the blueprint, finding a maintenance access in the far corner.“There,”he pointed.“It connects to the ventilation system. Should lead us back to the main corridor.”
“If it follows the blueprint,”Asher cautioned.“The building changes, remember?”
“It’s our only option,”Levi decided as another, stronger impact dented the metal door.“Whatever’s out there, we don’t want to meet it.”
Tyler and Elliot moved the shelving unit blocking the maintenance access, revealing a small metal door large enough for an adult to crawl through. Jasper worked on the simple latch, getting it open with minimal effort.
“Ladies first?”he offered with forced levity.
“I’ll go,”Zoe volunteered, already moving toward the opening.“I’ll scout ahead, make sure the path is clear.”
The door buckled under another impact, a three-pronged claw punching through the metal like itwasaluminum foil. A guttural howl echoed from the corridor, raising the hair on the back of Levi’s neck.
“Move, now!”he ordered, helping Zoe into the maintenance tunnel. Owen followed, then Maddie, her slender frame easily fitting through the narrow opening.
Jasper went next, then Elliot, both having to twist sideways to squeeze through. Tyler struggled more with his broader shoulders, but adrenaline gave him the necessary flexibility.
The creature outside redoubled its efforts, the door now hanging half off its hinges. Through the widening gaps, Levi caught glimpses of something pale and twisted—not quite human, but wearing the remnants of a hospital gown. One of Faine’s experiments, activated by the security system.
“Your turn,”Asher urged, pushing Levi toward the opening.
“Together,”Levi insisted, unwilling to leave Asher behind with the creature.“We go together.”
Something complicated flickered across Asher’s face—surprise, then a softer emotion Levi couldn’t quite identify.“Together,”he agreed, helping Levi into the tunnel before following close behind.
39
Pitfall
